(Topic ID: 34840)

A kit based pinball machine for you to build

By pinballkits

11 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 107 posts
  • 47 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 11 years ago by Bowman9
  • Topic is favorited by 9 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic poll

    “Would you be interested in this kit?”

    • Yes 49 votes
      43%
    • No 32 votes
      28%
    • Maybe 34 votes
      30%

    (115 votes)

    There are 107 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 3.
    #51 11 years ago

    Personally, I'm too lazy to build IKEA tables so building an entire pinball? Mmm I'd pass on that.

    #52 11 years ago
    Quoted from jrivelli:

    Personally, I'm too lazy to build IKEA tables so building an entire pinball? Mmm I'd pass on that.

    Building a pinball machine is not going to match everybody's skill set, but guys who do playfield swaps all the time would fly through it quickly.

    #53 11 years ago

    This sounds interesting, with a great price point, and you guys seem to be very serious about rolling this idea out. I think the young kids would really get a kick out of something like this. Hope this is successful for you.

    #54 11 years ago

    It's a great target price, yes, but the word "spanner" in the description has me thinking that S&H for me might add on another 50%. :-/

    #55 11 years ago
    Quoted from navajas:

    It's a great target price, yes, but the word "spanner" in the description has me thinking that S&H for me might add on another 50%. :-/

    Yeah, seeing it would be shipping from the "Land Down Under" sourcing your own cabinet, legs and glass are going to save a lot of money on the shipping.

    I wonder if the glass would even make it to the US in one piece.

    #56 11 years ago
    Quoted from Bowman9:

    I wonder if the glass would even make it to the US in one piece.

    I think shipping was their reasoning behind the no PF glass.

    #57 11 years ago

    that's why I suggested plans for a pinball kits cabinet plans and it could even be a dxf file ready for routing that way you take the file to a cabinet maker and $300 later you walk out with a cabinet kit - which would be equal to you freight from Aus to the US.

    The cabinet could be tweaked so it isn't a copy of a Bally / WMS or Stern so no copyright issues??? if needed. But use a standard glass size

    Agree the playfield design, power supply and score display and board set should stay the same then the extra kits purchased could just go in - plug and play

    #58 11 years ago
    Quoted from swinks:

    The cabinet could be tweaked so it isn't a copy of a Bally / WMS or Stern so no copyright issues???

    Those patents ran out long ago....

    #59 11 years ago

    speaking of copywright.. What is a playfield " layout" considered? I know the "artwork" is copywrighted for 70+ years, but are the placement of inserts copywrighted?

    If not, from that standpoint, could someone replicate any williams playfield they wanted without royalties as long as they don't silkscreen? I'm imagining things like an earthshaker playfield replicated for $300, repro ramps are plentiful, could I not build an earthshaker minus artwork and re-theme is to my liking like they did for metallica?

    #60 11 years ago

    it's the closest i shall ever get to buying new!

    #61 11 years ago
    Quoted from toyotaboy:

    but are the placement of inserts copywrighted?

    You could simply change the inserts.

    Move the other items around a few mm and you have yourself a new design.

    #62 11 years ago
    Quoted from pkiefert:

    PinballKits,
    I'd pay attention to the questions from Compy closely. He is probably among the select few that truly understand what is capable with the current micro-controllers out there in relation to pinball.

    Indeed I've controlled pinball hardware with an Arduino before, but one person who blows it away (and is my sensei when it comes to hardware) is Gerry Stellenberg (P-ROC).

    I look forward to the progress of this project in any event! Just to show you guys that pinball is evolving!

    #63 11 years ago
    Quoted from vid1900:

    Building a pinball machine is not going to match everybody's skill set, but guys who do playfield swaps all the time would fly through it quickly.

    I didn't say it didn't match my skill set. I simply commented my patience is not there to build a chair or desk from IKEA so I clearly don't want to test my patience building an entire pinball

    I've swapped playfields, but that is to restore an already awesome game!

    #64 11 years ago

    I guess we'll find out at some time, but I'm thinking some credibility would be gained by some names being attached to this project. I would be interested once it seems the people involved can produce.

    #65 11 years ago
    Quoted from vegemite_nick:

    I guess we'll find out at some time, but I'm thinking some credibility would be gained by some names being attached to this project. I would be interested once it seems the people involved can produce.

    +1

    #66 11 years ago

    I am intrigued, but at this point, not enough is known for me to be excited. Will definitely follow this thread.

    #67 11 years ago
    Quoted from EchoVictor:

    Want Devo's "Whip It" playing in the background? Just let the builder add the file for the main song.

    Perfect set-up for a Devo pin.

    #68 11 years ago
    Quoted from kwiKimart:

    Perfect set-up for a Devo pin

    I would love a DEVO pin!!! prefer Gates of Steel to Whip for pin related song.

    #69 11 years ago

    Hi all,

    We're looking at two options here for shipping. The first is to manufacture the blank tables, CNC routed wood only, in the USA and then ship the table overlay (artwork), mechanical and electrical components in a smaller and lighter package from Australia. Or, the other option is to ship the whole lot from Australia. With the $800-$1000 price we're aiming at we'll probably manufacture the table 'blank' in the USA and ship from there.

    We also don't want to ship glass because of unit cost, shipping cost, and possible breakage. So, again we'll probably ship from there, or give you the name of a pinball supplier that can send the glass to you. Or you can pick it up. Remember, the table will be designed to be a drop in replacement into an existing cabinet, or you can use it as a table only with the side supports we'll supply at the right angle.

    On the subject of sound here is what we're doing. The kit will ship with NO sound components. Remember, we're trying to keep the cost down. HOWEVER, this is what we're doing. Each time the pinball hits a target, bumper, switch etc. the Arduino microcontroller will send a serial command, via USB, to your PC. (Note, you don't need a PC to run the pinball. It is a stand-alone product but you will need a PC for sound). We then supply free PC software that monitors the USB port and can respond to each command from the pinball and play a .wav file. You will have control of the wave files you want or use our default files. It will be a simple Windows application with a list of switches, bumpers etc. and you assign a sound to that item. We think this is a great idea because you can tailor the sounds to your liking.

    We'd love to show what we've made so far but as with all things that are not yet production-ready, the wrong impression can be given. So, we'll wait until it looks fantastic and then show you what we've done.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #70 11 years ago
    Quoted from Compy:

    There is nothing to code, we do that for you and the system comes pre-programmed

    It would be cool if we could create our own game rule set.

    #71 11 years ago
    Quoted from Chrisbee:

    It would be cool if we could create our own game rule set.

    No, what would be 'cool' would be if the OP would actually provide us with some solid info such as:

    (1) the names of those involved?
    (2) what background they have in pinball/amusements

    I wish them all the best and I truly hope it is a massive success BUT I am very sceptical when ZERO background info has been supplied to date?

    The very second a PC is involved this project is a dead duck IMO. Also, asking people to 'learn' Arduino or any other programmer is a disaster - again IMO.....

    #72 11 years ago
    Quoted from Homepin:

    asking people to 'learn' Arduino or any other programmer is a disaster

    It could come with a set of rules and those who wish to make mods could, that would be cool. Learning would be your personal choice.
    I do agree that maybe would should hear a bit more about the machine./

    And so what if it is PC based, so long as it is not a Commodore 64.

    #73 11 years ago
    Quoted from Chrisbee:

    And so what if it is PC based, so long as it is not a Commodore 64.

    I have been involved in electronics and the amusement industry all my life - right from the EM days - ANYTHING PC based in the amusement industry has been a disaster - EVERY - TIME!

    Embedded is the ONLY way to go.

    Again, all only my opinion......

    #74 11 years ago
    Quoted from Homepin:

    I have been involved in electronics and the amusement industry all my life

    My experience is limited in the amusement world and will step down humbly, however I do have experience in the industrial world, mostly oil refining and offshore production. Here lots of processes have become PC based, practically in the monitoring side of things. I assumed that if you can run a $2 billion offshore production platform from a Laptop I should also be able to run a pinball machine. But again when it comes to amusement my experience is limited.

    Thanks for the chat, it’s been fun.

    #75 11 years ago
    Quoted from Chrisbee:

    My experience is limited in the amusement world and will step down humbly, however I do have experience in the industrial world, mostly oil refining and offshore production. Here lots of processes have become PC based, practically in the monitoring side of things. I assumed that if you can run a $2 billion offshore production platform from a Laptop I should also be able to run a pinball machine. But again when it comes to amusement my experience is limited.
    Thanks for the chat, it’s been fun.

    There is a HUGE difference - for a start, your industry has little to no money constraints. Most of the industrial controllers I have seen are NOT a simple PC type thing - they are usually specialised "PC cards" - FAR from a bog standard "Home PC". Amusements are always on a tight budget.

    Look at Pin2000 - these days it is a real struggle to keep these machines going BECAUSE PCs have been updated so much the new boards etc are no longer compatible with anything that was made 15 years ago and used in Pin2000.

    ANY PC based MP3 jukebox that I have seen has been a pain to keep working - simply not reliable enough.

    Any arcade game using PCs has been a flop from day one.

    PCs simply do not work in this industry.

    #76 11 years ago
    Quoted from Homepin:

    There is a HUGE difference - for a start, your industry has little to no money constraints. Most of the industrial controllers I have seen are NOT a simple PC type thing - they are usually specialised "PC cards" - FAR from a bog standard "Home PC". Amusements are always on a tight budget.

    Look at Pin2000 - these days it is a real struggle to keep these machines going BECAUSE PCs have been updated so much the new boards etc are no longer compatible with anything that was made 15 years ago and used in Pin2000.

    I can't argue with any of this, all very true. Offshore budgets are BIG and updating happens often. And I see your point, in 5 years a PC based machine would be obsolete. How sad!!

    #77 11 years ago

    Hi,

    Sorry, the point is being missed here. This system does NOT have to be hooked into a PC. This is a STAND-ALONE system.

    You don't need a PC at all.

    You also don't need how to program.

    It comes programmed for you.

    So, this is a 100% embedded system.

    Assemble it, wire it up and switch it on.

    The system does not have sound at this stage and that's why we have an OPTION to hook it to a PC for sound. This is to keep the costs down. We could add sound but that increases the complexity and also increase cost and makes it harder for you to customise sounds.

    As for who we are, well, we're an experienced team with skills in manufacture, electronics and software. No, we haven't made a pinball machine before this. However, this means we can think outside the box and not be tied down by legacy hardware. The play-table will look like a traditional pinball, the mechanics and electronics underneath will share some components with modern pinballs, but will generally be made here. Remember, we're working to a price point and we have to think laterally to do that.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #78 11 years ago
    Quoted from pinballkits:

    Sorry, the point is being missed here. This system does NOT have to be hooked into a PC. This is a STAND-ALONE system.

    I don’t think we did miss the point, just adding out slant. Both myself and HomePin wish you all the best and we both look forward to see your creation. This is where my point came to life, It would be cool if I could re-Program to create my version of your game. A PC based game would allow me that flexibility, Re the posts above.

    #79 11 years ago
    Quoted from pinballkits:

    We then supply free PC software that monitors the USB port and can respond to each command from the pinball and play a .wav file. You will have control of the wave files you want or use our default files. It will be a simple Windows application with a list of switches, bumpers etc. and you assign a sound to that item

    Are you using something like this?
    http://www.soundplant.org/download.htm

    In that case, you're probably only going to have one sound per switch, not random (which can greatly help keep it from becoming repetitive)

    #80 11 years ago

    I've done a lot of work with the P-ROC over the last 5 or so months (and I sure hope you have done similar for a point of comparison), but I can tell you that in 100% of my play tests audio makes a difference. Music to set the mood ... soud effects are extremely important. Play a T2 with the stock ruleset and then play it with a stripped down one. Then play that same ruleset with audio and (even if the sounds are annoying) it feels more complete.

    Sure we can enumerate all the hassles of trying to do multichannel audio on arduino, but even the Zizzles had music and effects. The absense of sound should makes a large player perception difference without very much savings in cost.

    Connecting to a PC is well and good, but without providing a software solution for people to code their own audio effects, you are asking a lot of your community with only a single playfield as the carrot (at least at the time of launch).

    Also, not knowing who Ben Heck is worries me. You have some homework to do . You'll be very impressed when you do.

    Quoted from pinballkits:

    Hi all,

    On the subject of sound here is what we're doing. The kit will ship with NO sound components. Remember, we're trying to keep the cost down. HOWEVER, this is what we're doing. Each time the pinball hits a target, bumper, switch etc. the Arduino microcontroller will send a serial command, via USB, to your PC. (Note, you don't need a PC to run the pinball. It is a stand-alone product but you will need a PC for sound). We then supply free PC software that monitors the USB port and can respond to each command from the pinball and play a .wav file. You will have control of the wave files you want or use our default files. It will be a simple Windows application with a list of switches, bumpers etc. and you assign a sound to that item. We think this is a great idea because you can tailor the sounds to your liking.

    #81 11 years ago

    Just had a shower, What I think would be cool, not only can you alter the program. And in your case its sound.

    How about a machine that is fully programmable and hardware interchangeable, a Marcano pinny.

    You can change out a pop bumper for a kick out hole or drop target.

    A machine designed around the concepts of “Mind Craft”, you provide the tools and a few design concepts and we, the end user, add the imagination.

    #82 11 years ago
    Quoted from Chrisbee:

    Just had a shower, What I think would be cool, not only can you alter the program. And in your case its sound.
    How about a machine that is fully programmable and hardware interchangeable, a Marcano pinny.
    You can change out a pop bumper for a kick out hole or drop target.
    A machine designed around the concepts of “Mind Craft”, you provide the tools and a few design concepts and we, the end user, add the imagination.

    may as well just build one yourself - IMO

    #83 11 years ago

    No sound? This keeps getting better. :p

    #84 11 years ago
    Quoted from toyotaboy:

    Are you using something like this?
    http://www.soundplant.org/download.htm

    In that case, you're probably only going to have one sound per switch, not random (which can greatly help keep it from becoming repetitive)

    Hi,

    We use custom Windows software that we're written that can be set up to play any sound when any switch is triggered. Yes, you can assign a set of sounds to that switch. We also send the score data so when a score is reached you can trigger another sound.

    The software is just like any Windows .exe software. We supply it and it runs on the PC. It has drop down boxes, check boxes, dialog boxes etc. It's quite simple to use.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #85 11 years ago
    Quoted from Chrisbee:

    How about a machine that is fully programmable and hardware interchangeable, a Marcano pinny.

    You can change out a pop bumper for a kick out hole or drop target.

    A machine designed around the concepts of “Mind Craft”, you provide the tools and a few design concepts and we, the end user, add the imagination.

    Hi,

    It's an interesting idea but quite hard to achieve. Give there are drilled holes in the base, holes cut in the artwork overlay and holes in the acrylic play-field it would make it difficult to alter. Not to mention the PCBs under the table.

    This is where hopefully we'll get some creative ideas from people for layouts. We've already picked some from our favourite games as mentioned in earlier posts. Artwork is an issue here but our artist could potentially take the communities idea for a game and we'll work with that to create a new table.

    But, one step at a time. We want to get this right first.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #86 11 years ago
    Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

    No sound? This keeps getting better. :p

    Hi,

    We're not trying to develop a full-blown $8000 machine. We're trying to provide a $1000 table for the community and for people that like to build things. Yes, we have sound, but it requires your PC. Of course, sound is optional. If you don't want to use your PC that's up to you. If we were to add a dedicated sound system: a) the price would go up, b) you couldn't customise the sound files. Everyone has a PC with a speakers and because it's driven by USB it gives us flexibility to send commands and hence increase the possibilities of the sound design.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #87 11 years ago
    Quoted from pinballkits:

    Hi,
    We're not trying to develop a full-blown $8000 machine. We're trying to provide a $1000 table for the community and for people that like to build things. Yes, we have sound, but it requires your PC. Of course, sound is optional. If you don't want to use your PC that's up to you. If we were to add a dedicated sound system: a) the price would go up, b) you couldn't customise the sound files. Everyone has a PC with a speakers and because it's driven by USB it gives us flexibility to send commands and hence increase the possibilities of the sound design.
    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    I didn't misunderstand, I just think you are wrong with this design choice. For you to pull something off like this, you will need to execute and deliver almost flawlessly. Unlike "the pin", you are targeting the pinball hobbyist market, not an easy task.

    When hobbyists can get 40 year old EM machines with more features for half the money, you've turned your kit into nothing more than a pinball novelty.

    Have you thought through who will provide assembly support?

    #88 11 years ago
    Quoted from Wolfmarsh:

    When hobbyists can get 40 year old EM machines with more features for half the money, you've turned your kit into nothing more than a pinball novelty.

    Hi,

    Judging from the poll about 40% of the people that responded are interested which gives us a good indication that we are on the right track. It means too that people want brand new parts and a new play-field. That's something you don't get on a 40 year old machine.

    When we looked at our EM Duotron machine, which is about 30 years old, the complexity of the system is just too much for most people. However, if we provide an easy to build playfield that simply plugs into our main PCB, a lot of that complexity disappears.

    And the poll also says that it's not for everyone. We understand that.

    So, we will concentrate on those that are interested and make it the best we possibly can.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #89 11 years ago

    I'm baffled by some of the responses on both sides here.

    Requiring a PC is not a deal breaker and if your sound handler is written with Linux compatibility in mind, that can be done on a raspberry pi rather than a full-fledged PC or even laptop. Think about it. It works. In fact, you can even do some better scoring (and easier coding) with an LCD attached to a raspberry pi. $35 + $5 p/s + $5 for an SD card.

    My concern about the audio is the implication that a switch always means the same thing whenever it has been hit (always play the same sound) which is nuts. You need state with switches. If a switch is in a bank and I need to hit all three, the first hit gives me a "good job" sound, a successive bit gives me an uninspired "dink". Knowing whether or not the switch has been hit previously matters. It's more than a prior hit. There's also timers for the resetting of the bank, other switches (like the ouhole) that change the state... Simple saying "sound=switch" is wholy insufficient and makes me worry that you haven't actually tried any of this.

    The PyProcGame solution is mode based. It makes a lot of sense and was clearly the result of a lot of careful planning and work.

    I have a back burner project to use an I-PAC connected to a zizzle and driven by a raspberry pi to re-theme it for my son. You better believe that I'm using pyprocgame as the backbone for the logic.

    Look, I was one of the first to support this idea, as I think the pitch of "the ikea of pinball" is a strong one, but I realized in my mind I was thinking Ikea hacker, not just ikea. People only shop at ikea because it's convenient and the stuff works well enough. If you gave an ikea shopper a real, well-made piece of furniture for the same cost, they'd be muh happier. That said, many DIY folks think of ikea as the place to get pieces that have been pre-fab for custom furniture when they lack woodworking skills and/or tools.

    Can you define the target audience more clearly so we can say either "yes that's me" or "that's not me" --without that, these replies aren't very helpful to you.

    #90 11 years ago

    The more I hear about this, the less interested I become. No sound without a PC makes this a pass for me. But I will keep following to see the finished product.

    #91 11 years ago
    Quoted from Mocean:

    People only shop at ikea because it's convenient and the stuff works well enough.

    Hi,

    Exactly. The stuff works, is easy to assemble, reasonably priced and very popular. That's what we'll be supplying.

    Perhaps we've read the market incorrectly and pinball fans are not the intended audience. There seems to be a lot of negativity about what can and can't be done, what should and shouldn't be in it. We know what we've created in the prototype, we know what's possible, and we know it works.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #92 11 years ago

    If that's your reply to my last two well thought out posts, I'm 100% done here. Thanks for soliciting feedback and then ignoring legitimate constructive questions.

    #93 11 years ago
    Quoted from pinballkits:

    However, if we provide an easy to build playfield that simply plugs into our main PCB, a lot of that complexity disappears.

    Either you are going to spend your entire BoM on connectors, or you are expecting people to solder hundreds of joints correctly and not backwards.

    I agree with Mocean, I hope you guys have a good run at it, but I don't think you actually want anyone's help/feedback. Best of luck.

    #94 11 years ago
    Quoted from pinballkits:

    It's an interesting idea but quite hard to achieve. Give there are drilled holes in the base, holes cut in the artwork overlay and holes in the acrylic play-field it would make it difficult to alter. Not to mention the PCBs under the table.

    But that's the challenge. You mentioned earlier, something about thinking outside the box.

    Quoted from pinballkits:

    There seems to be a lot of negativity about what can and can't be done, what should and shouldn't be in it.

    Don’t think this way, this is a typical audience made up of all sorts of people, but with a common interest. I don’t think its negative as such.

    #95 11 years ago

    Hi,

    Thanks to all those that have commented on our project. We do value the feedback but it can get confused with people's passion for the way they want to see things done. That's fine. We all do things a different way. However we have a lot of experience in this area.

    Our electrical engineer has a PhD and has designed complex aviation simulation hardware. The hardware consisted of around 16 micro-stepping motors that required complex math for acceleration and deceleration in an integer based micro-controller. It also had a complex array of individually addressable LED displays, it used hardware interrupts for multiple AB rotary encoders, had a scan driven switch matrix, a boot-loader coded in assembly language and it had to talk to a PC. All this was done in real-time with communication over USB using a FTDI chip. So it had to be fast, accurate and flawless. Tens of thousands of lines of code went into this system, not to mention the PC software which also had just as many lines of code which I wrote. Then we had to manufacture, ship and support the product. We've also built many other similar systems but this will give you an idea of where we're coming from and our capabilities.

    So, as you can see we're more than qualified and experienced enough to know how to build hardware, write software and ship product. We're also pinball enthusiasts so we understand the game. Oh, and the team members are all over 40 so we're not kids.

    At this point we're going to bow out of the forums for a while now until we can show you what we have achieved. Then we'll let the market decide where the future lies.

    Thanks again for your interest in the idea.

    Regards,
    The Pinball Kits Team

    #96 11 years ago

    Ok,

    So if I've assembled all of the information correctly, the entire thing is really a "kit" down to the most basic sense, leaving a lot of wiggle room up to the implementer (a good thing, IMO). Keep in mind that this project doesn't JUST cater to the type that just want a "quick fix" for a custom game. I imagine that you'd have a disclaimer that releases you from all liability should the user tweak code and burn their house down. Seeing as its an arduino, the serial communication isn't proprietary. You can communicate over USB serial from nearly any programming language, which makes things a bit more open ended with regards to your implementation. If PinballKits publishes the specification of the protocol they're using over serial, then you could theoretically just use the controllers as a dummy realtime driver. Keep in mind that that task wouldn't be for the "general" public, but those who are versed in software unless PinballKits decides to supply a framework, which takes a substantial amount of testing and development time. Since they're starting out with early model 70s/80s games, this gives them a simpler starting point that allows for the platform to mature.

    I've done this before using Arduinos and boards with arrays of transistors, I just decided to go with a much more capable hardware/software set after nearly pulling my hair out during the development. Granted it was the best choice I made, and my productivity jumped through the roof so I didn't have to focus on hardware anymore, but rather the software. Hopefully you guys have more success!

    I think this could be a cool project, and I wish you guys well. I firmly believe your success depends on how much you let the implementer focus on their game ideas rather than the nitty gritty hardware. If you nail that aspect of it, you stand the chance of creating a successful product. I say this because we've spent a lot of time engineering our products to make that particular aspect slant further in the right direction

    #97 11 years ago

    The only "sound" the thing needs is a chime box!

    #98 11 years ago

    I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing pinball kits all the success in this venture, and look forward to more news on this exciting addition to the pinball hobby.

    Perhaps I could make a suggestion, it strikes me that this market may be divided between those who are comfortable repairing and diagnosing and playing with code and those who would like to take it out the box, assemble it and play it.

    Perhaps we need 2 flavors here, a framework for people to pick parts of kits to assemble there own flavor of pinball and perhaps a more user friendly solution like say $800 for the populated playfield and $500 for a console type brains, that could utilize a cartridge (SD CARD?) solution to contain the game code.

    I could see a product where you could build a library of playfields with game cards for ease of use and still have the other side of the business to cater to the more experienced user to kit built their own vision.

    Even a marketing exercise, competition to build your own and see it produced in kit form for all to enjoy.

    you could be the next ritchie,lawlor,etc ?

    #99 11 years ago

    the only way to see if this is going to work = pictures and videos.
    i think this thread was too early.
    it's ok to talk about software, this and that but what about how it looks and feels.

    i think it could work for non pinheads but i doubt it will for collectors.

    #100 11 years ago

    When you start asking ANYONE to become involved in tweaking an Arduino, Rasberry Pi, PIC, Atmel, PC, Apple Tart - you have lost 90% of the audience. Some people will like PC, others PIC etc etc and most will NOT like to cross over because they either lack the time, patience, skill or motivation to do so.

    I don't think the OP intends that to be the case with this project BUT (IMO) it needs to be presented as an "electronically finished" kit - not left to the end user to tweak as he/she sees fit. Having no sound is a definate fail. The same as no scoring would be as well (I understand the OP intends to PROVIDE scoring).

    IMO the OP lacks enough knowledge of the amusement/pin industry (especially the HOBBY side) and they need to get someone onboard who has that background. Failure by the OP to provide info on WHO is behind this project makes me very wary. It's fine and dandy to sprout off about past/current "big projects" - I could do that as well BUT that doesn't show understanding of the scope of THIS project for one second.

    I still wish them 100% success but somehow I just don't 'smell' that by what vague info has been provided so far.

    Please prove me wrong - the idea has great merit.

    There are 107 posts in this topic. You are on page 2 of 3.

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/a-kit-based-pinball-machine-for-you-to-build/page/2 and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.